The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-05-04
Skeleton Industry in France.


A correspondent Of the Medical Press
Of London. communicates 20 that journa
the following account Of a skeleton man
ufactory which he recently had on opPor
tunity Of visiting The establishment i
located in the plain Of - Denis France
and consists of large wooden buiidings
/. comprising one main structure and sever
al annexes
The large hall contains two rows Of i'm
( mense kettles. the emanations from
I which are, as might be supposed, far from
agreeable even to an olfactory apparatu.
used to the atmosphere Of q dissectinl
room. These kettles serve for Kidding the
bones Of their adhering tendons, through
boiling. The disarticulation ofthe skulls
which is performed separately, consti.
tutes the most delicate part oi the oper-
alton. IN the case Of children or yOung
adults. ii j. effected through an ingenious
process consisting in filling the cerebral
cavity with dry peas, and then inmersine
the skull in water Through the effect Of
such immersion. the peas swell and bring
about a dislocation Of the most delicate
suiures.
A certain number Of the kettles are re-
served for the carcasses OF animals de-
signed % furnish skeletons OF a lower
price than the human ones. but indispen-
sable for the study of natural history
and forming an important part Of Paris
ian export.
After the bones have been submitted to
a prolonged boiling, they are carried TO
tables. where young women carefully
scrape them, in orierto free them perfect
ly from the soft tissues that adhere %
them Certain specialists obtain very
high wages for this work especially those
who prepare very delicate bones, such as
those Of frogs, lizards. etc
The flt that swims on the surface in the
kettles is SKINNED off with care, and put
into special vessel IN the corner Of the
hall. What Is lis destination That is a
mystery.
After being srraped the bones are
bieachcd. either through the action Of
chloride Of lime for cheap skeletons or
that Of the sun for high priced ones Fin
ally, they 20 TO special work room,
where they are assembled, mounted upon
brass and ariiculated
These final operations require pro-
found knowledge of o-teology. along with
an artistic eve. In fact it is necessary 20
select. from a collection Of all sorts of
bones. those that can Je well enough as
-embled % look as If they came from one
and the same individual The others are
sold -ingly. for the Use of students of linn
tied means. who ar. content with por-
ton of an unmountcd skeleton II is GU
rious to GGl that sex has a great influence
0n the market yalle of the bones, "a beau
tiful female skeleton being usually worth
% or - per cent. more than a male one
~ corresponding quality
Special kettles are devoted 10 children,
from those of the most ruimeutary d are up
10 those of two or three years. These
skeletons are arranged in show cases, in
ascending series. from the miniature three
or four inches in height up 10 the baby OF
twenty OF thirty inches These little
skeletons have proportionally a greater
value than those of their adult brothers
II may naturally be- asked whence all
the cadaver- come. Most Of them, ir app
pears. are furnished boy the hospitals anG
dissecting rooms, and Others by the pris-
ons. Asa general thing, the supply has
been less than the demand. but IN recent
times the abundance and cheapne~s of
skeletons Of Austrian origin have con~id-
erahly depre -ed the market Neverthe-
less, despite the industrial and CONNER
cial crisis that prevails throughout the
world. the industry under consideration
seems 10 be in most tlourishing condi-
ff,Ft